Long ago in Japan, two brothers lived near the sea. One was known as the Happy Hunter because he was great at hunting in the mountains. The other was called the Skillful Fisher because he was the best at catching fish.

One day, the Happy Hunter said, “Let’s switch places! You try hunting, and I’ll try fishing.”

The Skillful Fisher agreed, but he warned, “Be careful with my fishing hook. It’s very special to me.”

So they traded tools, and the Happy Hunter went to the shore. But he didn’t know how to fish. He tried all day and caught nothing. Worse still, when he pulled up his line at sunset, the hook was gone.

“Oh no!” cried the Happy Hunter. He searched the sand and rocks, but the hook had vanished.

When the Skillful Fisher found out, he was upset. “I won’t give your hunting tools back until you find my hook!” he said. The Happy Hunter tried to make new hooks, even hundreds of them, but his brother said, “None of these are mine!”

Feeling sad, the Happy Hunter sat by the sea. An old man came and said, “The hook may be in the sea. Go ask the Sea King for help.”

The old man made him a boat from a basket. The Happy Hunter sailed down, down, down to the Sea King’s palace. There, he met the Sea King’s daughters. They gave him water and led him to their father.

When the Sea King heard his story, he called all the fish to ask if anyone had seen the missing hook. At last, the red bream fish admitted, “I accidentally swallowed it!”

The hook was gently removed and cleaned. The Happy Hunter was so thankful! The Sea King even gave him two magic jewels—the Jewel of the Flood Tide and the Jewel of the Ebb Tide. One could bring in the sea, and the other could send it back.

The Happy Hunter stayed in the Sea Palace for a while. But soon he missed his home and decided to return. The Sea King sent him back safely.

When he got home, he returned the hook to his brother. But the Skillful Fisher was jealous. He had taken the Happy Hunter’s place while he was away and didn’t want to give it back.

So the Skillful Fisher made a trick. He built a fake boat and told the Happy Hunter, “Let’s sail together like old times!”

But the boat had holes hidden under the floor. The plan was to sink it and leave the Happy Hunter stranded in the sea.

As the boat began to fill with water, the Happy Hunter noticed. Quietly, he pulled out the Jewel of the Ebb Tide. With a soft glow, the water around the boat sank back, and the sea grew calm.

The Happy Hunter stood and held the Jewel of the Flood Tide in his hand. “I know what you tried to do,” he said gently. “But I don’t want to fight. I just want peace.”

The Skillful Fisher was surprised and afraid. He had planned badly, and his brother had saved them both. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I was wrong. Let’s be brothers again.”

The Happy Hunter smiled. “Then throw your bad ideas into the sea, and let’s begin again.”

From that day forward, they lived in peace. The Happy Hunter became a wise leader, and the Skillful Fisher helped him kindly.

And in his home, the Happy Hunter kept the two shining jewels, remembering the sea, the magic, and the power of forgiveness.

_{“The Happy Hunter and the Skillful Fisher” by Bright Bunny Books © 2025. Retelling of “THE HAPPY HUNTER AND THE SKILLFUL FISHER” from Japanese Fairy Tales by Yei Theodora Ozaki originally published in 1908.}

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“The Happy Hunter and the Skillful Fish” is written for elementary school students in grades 3–5, using accessible language, clear themes, and a fantasy adventure structure suitable for young readers.